Lore
The story of Skullduggery spans multiple worlds and realities of the multiverse and tells the tales of many heroes and villains alike in a conflict that has waged on for countless years to decades. It follows the massive conflict that has erupted across the entirety of the multiverse, and the battles, actions, and individuals that have helped to shape it. Some of the actions covered sound like tall tales, but most, if not all, are true. Rise of the Order and the "Renegades' War" More than three centuries ago, the Order emerged as a growing power far off in the Multiverse. Initially it grew quickly and seized control of numerous nearby realities, dominating brutally and completely. As quickly as it popped up it slowed, and the other realities of the multiverse did not act, and this may have been one of the most fatal mistakes ever made. Since that time, the Order has slowly grown, claiming the inhabitants of the many realities they have conquered asked for their help and as humble servants of the greater good they could not refuse. Most realities did not interfere with the Order, and many even did business with it, due to its large number of resources. A small opposition was formed to combat this threat. This group was known as the Renegades, founded and unofficially led by Sky Captain Cedric Greyhawk Whittaker and the crew of his vessel the feared Airship Isabella. These ragtag bands of pirates, smugglers, businessmen, artifact hunters, and others stood against the Order, in some cases openly, and managed to cause some confusion, and annoyance for the larger power. Some realities gathered behind the Renegade banner. Many more gave them safe haven without openly showing support, but most simply ignored them. Many desired to remain neutral so as to not suffer the wrath of the Order or out of distain for the individuals fighting against it. Whittaker and the Isabella commenced an attack on the Order home world of Avion and were forced to go into hiding after causing a severe amount of damage to its capital. Without their dynamic leaders, the Renegade movement began to splinter and lose focus. Many crews began attacking all who they felt they could profit from and became more self-serving. The movement nearly died, but was pulled back from complete destruction by the joint efforts of the regional commanders Evangeline La’Rayne and Cannon Trawets. Both have been trying to consolidate the Renegades into a better organized force over the last few years. The more powerful realities ignored the growth of the Order, instead focusing on trade by forming the Coalition of Free Worlds. Often these realities even sold captured Renegades to the Order as a sign of good faith and to keep lucrative trade agreements alive. These realities did not wish to enter direct conflict with the Order initially, feeling it would grow itself to death or enter decline soon as all empires before had. However, this foolish mindset led to one of the greatest tragedies to befall the multiverse, the destruction of Delva. The War of the Worlds A terrorist attack occurred on the Order dreadnought and flagship Basilisk while at the Conference of the Civilized Realities of the Multiverse. The attack did more to injure the pride of the Order than the vessel itself. The bomb placed near the vessel destroyed mostly cargo and killed three harbor workers and two deckhands of the vessel. Commander Faust Horcrust, the grand marshal of the Order and right hand of Father, flew into a fit of rage and accused all other members of the conference of the attack. He openly declared that there was no more neutrality. The only option was to join the Order or be crushed under its military might. This threat was not an idle one. Shortly after making the declaration, the reality of Delva was shattered. Millions of lives were lost, millions more scattered across the multiverse, and just as many enslaved by the Order. This was a blatant and indiscriminant act of cruelty and brutal warfare. This resulted in the Coalition declaring war on the Order and the conflict escalating into full warfare. Within a year of the official declaration of war, The Multiverse Conflict, as it had come to be known, had bogged down into a quagmire, with neither the Order nor the Coalition gaining ground against the other. This allowed the Renegades to begin to reform and raid the Order once more. This was known as the Long Wait, and many believed that it may never end, leaving many realities caught in never-ending war. That was not the case. Destruction of the First Fleet and the Fall of Tyr The Coalition launched its First Fleet to assault the Order deep within its own territory to force them to retreat from key bases near the frontline. The mission did not go as planned. While the attack was praised and lauded with great fanfare, the Coalition made a tragic mistake: it advertised its attack through public means to raise moral. This let the Order know what it was doing, and the empire pushed up the use of a new terrifying weapon. Near the reality of Tyr, the Order’s Eastern Armada ambushed the First Fleet and used the new weapon on them. The massive cannon ripped raw Aether from the atmosphere of Tyr, gravely wounding the reality, disrupting the flow of time, and the Aetheric flow around it. This caused a flux in the continuity of all those around it without a form of protection from the attack. The First Fleet was left dead in the water, their Aether drives and other engines left malfunctioning. The entirety of the fleet was captured or destroyed, with the flagship and its commander the respected and beloved Admiral Hackett, being sucked into a gravity well and crushed. Most of this information was gathered through broken radio broadcasts and the reports from the Renegade flagship Daedalus and its captain Evangeline La’Rayne, who observed the battle firsthand. Since the fall of Tyr, the Order has been steamrolling across the southern battle lines, gaining more and more realities under their control. The Coalition’s southern forces have been on a steady retreat, while its forces along the northern battle lines have been caught in a deadlock and unable to help their allies. The Renegades have been trying to analyze the information they have gained and learn how to use it to their advantage. This is where your character's story begin. Other major Events Timeline *Destruction of the Ephimeral Joy *First Annual Institute Ball *The Device *Second Annual Institute Ball *Governor's Call *Attack on the Small Council *Third Annual Innstitute Ball *Hermes Nexus *Capture of Captain la Rayne